[aur-requests] [PRQ#22714] Deletion Request for base-devel-selinux

[Nicolas Iooss]

On Fri, Dec 18, 2020 at 1:03 PM <notify at aur.archlinux.org> wrote:
>
> svito [1] filed a deletion request for base-devel-selinux [2]:
>
> Violation of AUR submission guidelines.
>
> Neither of the: "executable(s); config file(s); online or offline
> documentation for specific software or the Arch Linux distribution as
> a whole; media intended to be used directly by software."
>
> https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AUR_submission_guidelines#Rules_of_submission
>
> [1] https://aur.archlinux.org/account/svito/
> [2] https://aur.archlinux.org/pkgbase/base-devel-selinux/

Hello,
FIrst, sorry if this is not the proper way to reply to requests: I did
not find a proper interface on the AUR website, so I am answering by
email.

About package base-devel-selinux, its main purpose is to be able to
propose to users pre-built packages that can replace "base" group and
"base-devel" package, while installing all -selinux packages which
replace the core ones (coreutils-selinux, util-linux-selinux,
systemd-selinux, etc.). We are currently investigating whether we can
use GitHub Actions to build and host these packages (cf.
https://github.com/tqre/selinux/releases/tag/ArchLinux-SELinux).

I agree this "a package which is really a meta-package that eases some
usecases" is quite borderline, regarding the AUR submission
guidelines. However I really like that packages in a "user repository"
are also available in the AUR, in order to prevent package name
conflicts and to clearly indicate the maintainer and the package
status (maintained, orphaned, deleted). Therefore I disagree deleting
base-devel-selinux if this package is to be kept as a convenient built
package somewhere else.

If "creating a meta-package to make easier the life of new users to
SELinux" is not acceptable, how would you prefer such things to be
done? Feel free to open an issue on
https://github.com/archlinuxhardened/selinux to discuss this further.

Best,
Nicolas